


The Corruption of Zargothrax

by athersgeo



Category: The Dundaxian Codex - Gloryhammer (Albums)
Genre: Epic alternative history, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-31
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:41:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 635
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27312775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/athersgeo/pseuds/athersgeo
Summary: An excerpt from the official history of the Kingdom of Dundee
Comments: 1
Kudos: 1
Collections: Yuletide Madness 2020





	The Corruption of Zargothrax

**Author's Note:**

  * For [molybdomantic](https://archiveofourown.org/users/molybdomantic/gifts).



> I want to thank you for introducing me to the wonder that is GLORYHAMMER - I hope that you enjoy this in return!

No man is born evil, but many may be driven there. Some fall for love. Some fall for power. Some fall because they see no other choice.

Zargothrax was born with more ambition than social standing. His was a minor noble family, distantly connected to the Earls of Orkney; impoverished and with limited political capital to spend, Zargothrax, as the second son of a second son, was never intended to be much more than a spare least his elder brother die young, and while his parents weren't so cruel as to point this out to the child Zargothrax, plenty of others were more than willing.

He grew up resentful of his brother, his family and his social standing and with a burning determination to better his position.

He applied himself to his studies. Subjects such as rhetoric and logic were learned along side geography and history and he became a knowledgeable and accomplished public speaker. So great were his oratory skills, his reputation reached the Earls themselves and they drew him into their court. Once within the rarified confines of court, he was shown to be a polished individual who could be trusted to meet dignitaries and visitors - and it was through this role that he met the second cause of his fall.

One such visiting dignitary was the newly crowned King of Stenhouse who came to pay homage to the Earls and brought with him his beautiful young daughter Iona. Zargothrax fell immediately and totally in love with her, though she would barely glance in his direction. For the duration of the visit, he attempted to ingratiate himself with the King's party, to little success and he was almost resigned to his love being unrequited when it became apparent that the princess had found someone amongst the Earls' retainers that she would hold speech with: Zargothrax' hated brother, Ailig.

Zargothrax was enraged by this development and sought the ways and means by which he could dispose of his brother without causing an unpleasant scene. This led him to journey far from the Isles of Orkney and to the rocky shores of an unnamed island where dwelled a wise woman. A hermit by choice, she was a powerful sorcerer and Zargothrax begged her to take him as her student. At first she declined, because she could see the twisting and blackening in Zargothrax' heart, but over time he wore her down and finally, one fateful day, she accepted.

He studied hard under her tutelage, learning diligently the ways and means of her powers and discovering, in the process, that he had a true affinity to such things. It did not take long before his mastery was almost as great as the hermit woman's. And then, one day, when she was out of her hut fetching water from the island's only spring, he uncovered her grimoire. Eagerly, Zargothrax read it and in it he found the spells he'd been looking for. Spells of true and terrifying power. Spells that promised immortality. Spells that would allow him to bind creatures to his will and there, finally, was the means to deal with his brother: the unicorns.

In that moment, he took his final steps along the road that led to his fall and fell hard. Having gained the knowledge, his first act of true evil was to dispose of the hermit so that none could follow his path and learn what he now knew. Then he made for the unicorns' home in the mountainous wilds of Strathclyde.

Subjugating the will of such noble creatures was a difficult process. For days and days he battled until at last he was in command of an army and then he set out for home, for his brother and for the beautiful princess Iona who would not be able to resist.


End file.
